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Mining Gold and Vigilante Justice  By Aarna Parikh

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Mining Gold and Vigilante Justice  By Aarna Parikh

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When gold and other precious minerals were found in the West, hundreds of thousands of people rushed to these places to "strike a claim" and hoped to get fabulously rich. Miners' tents sprung up all over the hillside. However, most of people who came to the West for precious minerals did not get rich. Most of the minerals had been previously extracted or were being extracted by big mining companies. In fact, many salesmen who sold equipment to the miners became rich. Many of the unsuccessful miners and successful businessmen stayed in the West. A few of these "boom towns" grew into modern-day cities while many of them were deserted and became the ghost towns of the West. This is how mining affected the development of the American West. Many times, these "boom towns" and mining camps had no law enforcement, so people used a system called vigilante justice. Vigilante justice was unfair and cruel. The townspeople got to decide what the punishment was. For example, for a petty theft, the townspeople might have to cut of the person's hand. Vigilante justice was almost always improvised and unfair.

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Devika's "Merry Mining" Padlet Answer Post

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Devika's "Merry Mining" Padlet Answer Post

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In the American West (specifically the present-day states of Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Arizona, Montana, and Wyoming), gold was always reported to have been found in the hills. Hearing the news, miners would rush westward to strike it rich. However, the news about gold in the hills was only a rumor. Very few actually struck it rich, so many miners decided to stay behind and still search for gold. They formed mining camps, which were generally collections of tents. Soon these camps became booming towns. There was no form of government in these towns, so some miners came up with "vigilante justice." Vigilante justice is a system of justice where ordinary citizens can pursue and punish people accused of crimes instead of letting the police or court handle the issues. During this time, it was so harsh and enforcing. For example, if someone stole from others, they most likely would have lost their life without even a court trial.

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HM, LOOKS LIKE I'VE STRUCK IT RICH...MONEH FROM MINING IS MINEEEE!

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Mining and the thought of possibly getting rich encouraged many people to go to the West, trying to find gold and silver to mine. Many traveled around, but some settled. The towns began to build up, more and more people staying. Even sellers that took advantage of miner's eager blindness struck it rich and decided to settle. Few people struck it rich, so towns and cities sprang up, populating out of control. However, in these towns, there were no police officers or government to enforce the laws, keep the order, and maintain control. Because of that, there were many cases of murder and thieving. This caused the miners to create a very harsh punishment for guilty miners. People punished others blindly at the slightest hint of suspicion or were found out. Sometimes, suspects were not even given a trial before they were hanged as a consequence.

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In the American West, in present-day Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Arizona, Montana, and Wyoming, whenever a "strike" was reported or rumored, miners would rush there to stake claims to the land in search of immediate money. When this happens, the miners would form a mining camp, normally a collection of tents. Sometimes a big strike could turn the mining camp into a booming town, and other people such as merchants would come to do business there. They would start gambling houses, saloons, merchant shops, and women would would start small hotels, boarding houses, and laundries. However, in these mining towns, it was very common that crimes such as robbery and pickpocketing would happen in order to get wealth, for there was no police to guard the mining camp. Hence, the miners made their own laws, known as "vigilante justice" or "frontier justice". These laws were often very harsh, and punishments were sometimes ordered without even a trial! However, after sometime, when gold or silver was mined out, or when mining companies took over, individual miners either left their homes or joined the mining companies or became merchants or farmers and stayed on. This was the evolution of the American West around mining.

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Many people who needed or wanted gold didn't "strike it rich".  In towns called boom towns, vigilantes enforced the laws. If you even stole a single piece of bread or something, your life is gone.

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Many people ran to different places where there was word of gold. Very few people actually got rich, so they stayed behind, so towns sprang up. But in these towns, there was no form of government, so there were many cases of murder and thieving. People punished people if they were suspected or found out. Sometimes, suspects were not given a trial.

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Many of those who traveled to California in the Gold Rush did not "strike it rich", or find gold. In fact, most of the people who sold tools to the miners were more prosperous than the miners themselves. Often, the towns called "boom towns" did not have anyone to make sure people follow the laws, so vigilantes enforced the laws instead. Often, these laws were improvised and were unfair. They also resulted in terrible and extreme punishments, for example, what Ms. Whalen said- If you stole a horse, your hand may be cut.

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Almost nobody found gold and struck rich. They still stayed around, and new towns sprung up.  There was no government in these new towns, so people who were guilty were punished without trial.

Comments:
Samy - LOL
SamyCOOL - I don't want to be in that place, EVER
Tommy - Love you RICK ASTLEY
Dream - The gold is cool :)

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Either you're an inch away from a million dollars or a million inches away from a dollar

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Either you're an inch away from a million dollars or a million inches away from a dollar

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Many people did not find gold. They decided to stay where they were mining for gold. In this way, many towns where gold had been supposedly "found" became a boom town. In many cities, there was no form of government, so if somebody does something wrong, they will punish them, mostly with gory things, such as cutting off people's hands.

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Big Question: How did mining affect the development of the American West? And specifically the 'vigilante justice' that reigned there.

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Big Question: How did mining affect the development of the American West? And specifically the 'vigilante justice' that reigned there.